Hypodermic syringe with feed control



Dec. 6, 1955 D. REITER ETAL HYPODERMIC SYRINGE WITH FEED CONTROL.

Filed Dec. 22. 1950 llnnhlllllll JHUMMN saliva Lai' l HYPODERMIC SYRINGEvWITH FEED CONTROL David Reiter, Woodside, and Samuel Feinstein, NewYork, N. Y.

Application December 22,y 1950, Serial No. 202,202

11 Claims. (Cl. 12S-218) f v ated by a suitable handle for forcing theliquid from the ampule through the needle. Such a device had certaindisadvantages, particularly in that the user thereof was apt to pressthe plunger with considerable force, thus causing a rapid ilow of theliquid through the needle and into the patient. This caused aconsiderable amount of liquid to be injected in a short time, causingirritation and pain and damage to tissues.

The present invention is intended and adapted to overcome thediiiculties and disadvantages inherent in prior devices of the typedescribed, it being among the objects of the present invention toprovide va syringe wherein av controlled ow or feed of a liquid to beinjected is obtained.

It is also among the objects of the present invention to provide arelatively simple arrangement which is positive in its operation andwhich is capable of giving a slow and even ilow of said liquid, withvery little exertion or manipulation by the user.

It is further among the objects of the present invention to provide asyringe of the type described, in which pneumatic means are employed toact either as a means of urging the plunger forward or of otherwisecontrolling the feed of the liquid. n

In practicing the present invention, there is provided a hypodermic.syringe having at one end thereof a casing which is adapted to hold anampule, and having at said end an ordinary arrangement of hypodermicneedle cooperating therewith. The casing is secured in a suitablehousing which carries an operating mechanism at the other end thereof.

Said mechanism includes a barrel which extends in alinement with thecasing and has a means of communication therewith. The barrel contains abar extending into the casing and having a plunger at the casing endthereof adapted to press the cap or cover of Ythe ampule. A handle isattached to the other end of the bar for suitable manual manipulation.Usually a rack is formed on the bar and gearing meshes with the rack,said gearing being mounted in the housing. A pivoted lever on thehousing has means for locking or releasing the gearing to prevent orpermit motion of the plunger in the various operations of the syringe.

The barrel is provided with a chamber or cylinder which is adapted to bemade air-tight. A piston operating in the cylinder, and suitablycontrolled either by compression of air or by a spring or equivalentelement is secured to the handle so that thevplunger operatessimultaneously with the piston.

In the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereof and in which likereference characters indicate like parts,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a hypodermic syringemade in accordance with the present invention, some parts being shown infull for clearness;

Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken through a parallelalong line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view through the housing, takenalong line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional View of a modilied form of theinvention; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross-sectional view of the righthand end of the mechanism shownv in Fig. 4, illustrating a differentposition of certain of the elements thereof. v

With reference to Figs. 1 to 3, there is provided a housing 1, generallycylindrical in form, having a casing 2 threaded into one end of housing1, as shown at r3. The

` opposite end 4 of the casing is threaded and carries a .similarlythreaded collar 5, into the outer end 6 of which a hypodermic needle 7is held. The inner end 8 of the needle is adapted to extend into thecasing. It pierces soft rubber disk 9 which closes one end of ampule 10,carrying suitable liquid 11. A plug 12 at the other end ofthe ampuleseals the liquid and maintains itvsterile, although said plug is adaptedto be moved by a suitable plunger.

To the opposite end of housing 1 is4 secured a barrel 13 having acylinder or chamber 14 therein. A piston 15 is mounted in cylinder 14and has attached thereto a pushrod or piston rod 16 extending throughcap 17 at the free end of the cylinder. Said piston divides the barrelinto an inner portion adjacent to the casing and an outer portion remotetherefrom. A spiral spring 18 surrounding piston rod 16 tends to urgepiston 15 to the left. The

rod is attached to handle 19, whereby the device may be manipulated.

An opening 20 is provided in the end of cylinder 14 adjacent to housing1 and is closed by valve 21 fixed on lever 22 which is pivoted on pin 23held between ears 23 on housing 1. A finger piece 24 pressed upwardly byspring 2S extends from the opposite side of pin 23. The lever carries adog 26 adapted to latch into the teeth of gear 27 mounted on pin 27 inhousing 1. This in turn meshes with teeth of a rack 28 formed on aportionof bar 29, the free end of which is also secured to handle 19.

Plunger 30 at the end of rack 28 is of such size as to fit' withinampule 10 and to press upon plug 12. ln the operation of the devicehandle 19 is retracted while a finger is being pressed against fingerpiece 24 to raisel valve 21 against the action of spring 25, allowingair to ilow into cylinder 14. At the same time, dog 26 is released,permitting operation of the gearing during the retraction of the rack.Finger piece 24 is released, closing valve 21 and conning air incylinder 14. Ampule 10 and needle 7 are placed in the positions shown inFig. l and casing 2 is locked onto housing 1. The operator then gentlypresses with his ngeron finger piece 24, raising valve 21 slightly,thereby permitting the tension of spring 18 to force piston 15 to theleft, expelling air from the chamber. This movement causes similarmovement of plunger 30, forcing liquid through needle 7. The operatormay adjust the speed of feed of liquid by slight changes of fingerpressure, thereby regulating the size of opening 20 and the rate ofrelease of air from the cylinder. At any moment he may interrupt theowof liquid cornpletely by removing pressure from finger piece 24, lockingthe gearing against any further movement, while still atented Dec. 6,`1955 maintaining ptessilre in .Cylinder .1.4. for ,futther operation Inthe modification shown` in F gs. 4 and 5, there iS provided a housing1', a casing 2', having oval openings 3 on opposite sides of 4the casingfor. the purpose. o'f;in specting the liquid in ampule 10. A'barrel orchamber 32 is formed on vthe endof housing 1' opposite to casing 2. Thischamberis adapted to bemade air-tight. Pistonv 33 operating in chamber32 is secured to a push-rod or piston rod 34 Aextending through the endof the chamber terminating in handle 35,. Agbar 36 extends from theinner end of ,piston rodV 34 and terminates `in a plunger 37', which isadapted to ,contact with plug 12' of ampule 10.

Withinsthe cylinder and surroundingpiston rod 34 is a sleeve 37 made ofa flexible vulcanized rubber or the like and relatively thin Vso `as tobe capable of being folded. It is also elastic and is capable of'beingstretched. One end ofsaid sleeve is secured to piston 33 along a circle38, and the otherend39 of said sleeve is attached to cap 40 ofchamber32. This provides a Vspace 41 which is completely enclosed and isair-tight. At the end of chamber 32 adjacent to housing '1' are severalvent holes 42. On bar 36-is formed a rack 43 which extends throughhousing 1', which has an opening or passageway 44 to act as a guide forsaidrack.

Pinion 45, pivoted in housing 1' meshes with teeth 43 of the rack andalso `meshes with gear 46 mounted in the housing on pivot 46'. Operatinglever or finger piece 47, pivoted on either side of gear 46 on pivot 46is provided with a spring catch 48, one end of which is secured to lever47 and the other end is adapted to enter between the teeth of gear 46.Crank arm 49 is pivoted at 50 on lever 47 and the end 51 thereofcontacts with spring 48. By manipulation of catch 48 by means of arm 49,the device Visplaced inoperative or in inoperative position relativetorack 43. A dog 52 pivoted on housing4 1 enters between the teeth of gear45 and acts as a stop. On yoke 53 is apin 54 extending through anopening in dog 52 and having a coil spring 55 bearing against the dog tohold itin position relative to the teeth of gear 46.

In operation the device is in the position shown in Fig. 4 with catch48` in the operative position. Finger piece 47 is depressed causingcatch 48 to move gear 46 through the arc of one tooth and resultinginrack 43 and piston 33 advancing to the left to force a single drop ofliquid through needle 7. Spring 56 lifts finger piece up when pressurethereon is released, and the action is repeated. When it is desired tore-set the device, arm 49 is moved downward causing end 51 to lowercatch 48 out of contactwith gear 46, dog 52 is raised out of contactwith said gear by pressing yoke 53, and handle 35 is pulled to theright. Afresh ampoule may then be inserted and the device made ready forfurther operation.

Although the invention has been described setting forth two specificembodiments thereof, it is intended that they illustrate the scope ofthe invention and not to limit it. Various changes in the details ofconstruction may be made within the principles set forth above. Forexample, the barrel may be made integral with the housing. The size,shape and positions of the several elements may be varied at will.Instead of an arrangement of gearing and dogs, equivalent means forcontrolling the movement of the plunger may be used. These and otherchanges may be made within the principles set forth and the inventionis, therefore, to be broadly construed and to be limited only by thecharacter of the claims appended hereto.

We claim:

1. A hypodermic syringe comprising a hollow housing, a casing secured toone end thereof, a barrel secured to the other end, said casing andbarrel being in alinement and in communication with each other, a pistonin said barrel, means in said barrel for urging said piston towards saidcasing, air in an air chamber constituting pneumatic pressure meanspressing on said piston to oppose said motion, a push-rod movable insaid wsing and attached to ysaid piston, and means acting on s aidchamber and attached to said housing for releasing said pneumaticpressure.

2. A hypodermic syringe comprising a hollow housing, a casing secured toone end thereof, a barrel secured to the other end, said casing andbarrel being in alinement and in communication witheachother, a pistonin said barrel, a. spring .in said barrel .for urging said pistontowards said casing, air in an air chamber constituting pneumatic4pressuremeans pressing ony said piston to oppose said motion,.a push-rodmovable in said casing and attached to said piston, and means acting onsaid chamber and attached to said housing for releasing said pneumaticpressure.

3. A hypodermic syringe comprising a hollow housing, a casing secured toone end thereof, a barrel secured to the other end, said casing andbarrel being in alinement and in-communication with Veach other, apiston in said barrel, a pressure chamberin'said barrel, means in said.

barrel for urging said piston towards said casing, the pressure in saidchamber pressing on said piston to oppose said motion, a push-rodmovable in said casing and attached'to saidpiston, and=means acting onsaid chamber and attached to said housing for releasing said pressure.

4. A hypodermic syringe comprising a hollow housing, a casing secured toone end thereof, a barrel secured to the other end, said casing andbarrel being in alinement and in'communication with each other, a pistonin said barrel, a pressure chamber in said barrel, means in said barrelfor urging said` piston towards said casing, the pressure in saidchamber pressing on said piston to oppose said motion, a push-rodmovable in said casing and atx. tached to said piston, and meansactingon said chamber and attached to said housing for releasing said pressureincluding a valved opening in said barrel.

5. A hypodermicsyringe comprising a hollow housing, a casing secured-toone end thereof, a barrel secured to the other end, said casing andbarrel being in alinement and in communication with each other, a pistonin said barrel, means in said barrel for urging said piston towards saidcasing, air in an air chamber constituting pneumatic pressure meanspressing on said piston to oppose said motion, a push-rod movable insaid casing and attached to said piston, andmeans `acting on saidchamber for releasing said pneumatic pressure including a manuallyoperable valve on said chamber, a set of gears in said housing, one ofsaid gears being attached to said push-rod, a dog adapted to enter theteeth of one of said gears and spring-mounted on said housing, said dogserving to loci; said gears against movement, and a lever to which saidvalve and dog are attached.

6. A hypodermic syringe comprising a hollow housing, a casing secured toone end thereof, a barrel secured to the other end, said casing andbarrel being in alinement and in communication withy each other, apiston in said barrel, pneumatic pressure means in said barrel forurging said piston towards said casing, a push-rod movable in saidcasing and attached to said piston, and means for releasing saidpneumatic pressure including a rack attachedto said push-rod, a pinionmeshing with said rack and a lever mounted in said housing, a springcatch on said lever and meshing with said pinion and a dog pivoted onsaid housing-and a spring biased against said dog and pressing said dogbetween the teeth of one of said gears adapted to lock said gearsagainst reverse movement.

7. A hypodermic syringe comprising a hollow housing, a casing secured toone end thereof, a barrel secured to the other end, said casing andbarrel being in alinement and in communication with each other, a pistonin said barrel, pneumatic pressure means in said barrel for urging saidpiston towards said casing, a push-rod movable in said casing andattached to said piston, and means for releasing said pneumatic pressureincluding a rack, a

pinion Vmeshing withv said rack and a `lever mounted in s'aid-housingfaspring catch on said lever and meshingwith said pinion and a dog pivotedon said housing and a spring biased against said dog and pressing saiddog between the teeth of one of said gears adapted to lock said gearsagainst reverse movement, said rack being mounted on said push-rod.

8. A hypodermic syringe comprising a hollow housing, a casing secured toone end thereof, a barrel secured to the other end, said casing andbarrel being in alinement and in communication with each other, a pistonin said barrel, an air-tight chamber in said barrel, means in saidbarrel for urging said piston towards said casing, air in said chamberconstituting pneumatic means pressing on said piston to oppose saidmotion, a push-rod movable in said casing and attached to said piston,an opening in said chamber, a valve adapted to close said opening, andmeans for lifting said valve from said opening for releasing said v airfrom said chamber.

9. A hypodermic syringe comprising a hollow housing, a casing secured toone end thereof, a barrel secured to the other end, said casing andbarrel being in alinement and in communication with each other, a pistonin said barrel, an air-tight chamber in said barrel, means in saidbarrel for urging said piston towards said casing, pneumatic meanspressing on said piston to oppose said motion, a push-rod movable insaid casing and attached to said piston, an opening in said chamber, avalve adapted to close said opening, and means for lifting said valvefrom said opening for releasing said air from said chamber including agear in cooperative relation with said push-rod and a dog for lockingthe same.

10. A hypodermic syringe comprising a hollow housing, a casing securedto one end thereof, a barrel secured to the other end, said casing andbarrel being in alinement and in communication with each other, a pistonin said barrel, an air-tight chamber in said barrel, means in saidbarrel for urging said piston towards said casing, pneumatic meanspressing on said piston to oppose said motion, a push-rod movable insaid casing and attached to said piston, an opening in said chamber, avalve adapted to close said opening, and means for lifting said valvefrom said opening for releasing said air from said chamber including arack and gear arrangement in cooperative relation with said push-rod anda dog for locking the same.

ll. A hypodermic syringe comprising a hollow housing, a casing securedto one end thereof, a barrel secured to the other end, said casing andbarrel being in alinement and in communication with each other, a pistonin said barrel, said piston constituting means for dividing said barrelinto an inner and an outer portion, said outer portion having a pressuremeans for biasing said piston toward said inner portion, at least oneopening in said inner portion to allow escape of air therefrom when saidpiston moves in the direction of said inner portion, a push-rod movablein said casing and attached to said piston, a hand-operable means onsaid housing for opposing and controlling said movement of said piston.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,017,276 Ericson et al. Oct. 15, 1935 2,295,849 Kayden Sept. 15, 19422,309,502 Douglas Jan. 26,1943

FOREIGN PATENTS 673,293 France Oct. 7, 1929

